a space for quirky odd things

7/13/2010

It is getting harder and harder to work the hours I would like. I know my limit is about 3 hours for shooting. Then I need to gather myself in and be quiet for a while. I don’t think I ever had the capacity for much more, mentally, but now I am more conscious of my limitations.

Yesterday the neighborhood we visited of San Gabriel, Las Lomas, Sta. Caterina, was very, very desolate. It rests on the top of a very high hill outside of Lima to the north, above Villa El Salvador. There is no paved road, just a dirt lane with rocks. The construction of the living quarters is tin, wood, and cardboard. There is no running water, and electricity only at intervals in the night. The circus itself was precariously positioned on a large pile of rocks in the middle of the road. While we were there, a lot of school age children came by asking enthusiastically how much the entrance fee would be and at what time the spectacles would start. The owner, Julio Caesar, told us that sometimes they did quite well in the far reaches of the city, as there is little other entertainment to compete with them, especially TV.

As the video camera bit the dust, quite literally (until today, when I was able to fix it), we couldn’t film the interview with the owners but we sat and talked enough that I understand a bit more about how they plan and choose their move to the next locale.

Today we travelled as far as Pachacutec, Ventanilla, and then Callao. The circus we had planned to visit cancelled on us, as the owner got drunk and fought with his wife. We will reschedule with him, once the hangover has passed and he is more coherent.

We did find a new circus far off on the way to Ancon, near the sea. It took us almost six hours of travel to get there and back. Only the young grandson was there but he gave us the phone number of his grandmother, who owns the circus. I will call her tomorrow.